Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1887-12-23
CHRISTMAS.
HOW DIFFERENT NATIONS OBJ
SERVE THE DAY.

. HOW DlffEKENI Nal AO4ND ~
SERVE THE DAY.
The traditions and legends con-
nected with Christmas have an in
terest peculiarly their own, and 1t
is worth noting that the spirit OF
charity and goodwill, which is the
leading charteristcs of the happy
times, pervades them all. Some OF
the most interesting of these Gus
toms we will endeayor to briefly
describe.
In England the custom of stay
[ ing up to midnight to hear the
Christmas "waits" is still observed,
although many good people If ask
ed the question would find it diff
cult to give a reason for doing so.
The tradition that Christ was born
at midnight originated this custom.
/ At one time bands of singers used
to 90 about from house to house
singing Christmas carols. These
were the "waits,7 and by degrees
the quantity beautiful carols which
they sang degenerated into mere
doggerel, and the custom for a time
fell into disuse. Latterly, hOwey-
er, it has been revived somewhat,
as also the custom of singing
Christmas carols IN Protestant
Episcopal churches.
In the feudal times when the old
baronial halls glOried in vast fire.
places the bringing in OF the Yule
log, an entire trunk of tree which
was burned whole, was great
event aud attended by peculiar GER
emOnles and great rejoicing. Then
feasting followed the mighty was
sail bowl was introduced and the
solid pleasures of the table follow
ed and we're kept up with a zest
and ability to put away vast guam
titles of provisions that would as
tOnish most people of the present
generation. The central dish was
the boa1's head, hanked by other
spoils Of the chase, At the pres
ent day the Growing ideas of Christ
mas pleasures in England, as, in
deed, in everywhere else through
out Christendom, are still the gross
er joys of eating and drinking
The "rOast beef and plum pudding"
of Old England has a Yuletide
smack about it and solid plenty is
the characteristics of Christmas
cheer at English tables. First
comes the savOry roast goose, which
is the recognized Christmas dish
among all classes, peers and COM
mOners alike, and the plum pud-
ding, which is brought in steaming,
causing young hearts to rejoice and
bringing IN vista OF future stOm.
ach ache and physic to small boys.
Throughout the land Charity ex'
pands her wings, and in all the
large cities a general movement is
heartily made to let the poor have
at least one good dinner.
In America the custom of hang
ing up the stocking ls as heartily
observed as ever, and little boys
and girls in town and country tor
weeks before Christmas speculate
on what Santa Claus will bring
them. The North German custom
of the Christmas tree has been
largely revived of late years, aud
in many households has become a
regular observance every year.
Both the Christmas tree and the
Santa Claus custom are the relics
of the days when Thor, Wooden and
Erica were worshiped, but modiaed
by Christianity till they are now
embIematic of the charitable feel
Jugs of the day Of gladness.
In France, many years ago, 1t
was the habit for people to stop all
kinds of labor at nOOn on the day
before Christmas, and masters kept
, open house and feasted their en-
ployes. 1t was also the fashion fol
the people to assemble on the out
side of churches and cathedrals long
before midnight, and the time was
passed away by singing of Christ
mas carols, the Monks teaching
them how to sing the carols as vel
: as the Latin canticles of the Church
. AS the SaturnaIian element began
|. to come uppermost, the carols be
4 came scurrilous and obscene, and
no regret was felt when the custom
was done away With.
In sunny Italy the most visible
characteristic is the excessive low
and devotion felt for the Virgin
which shows itself in many guam
ways. The whole scope of th'
r teaching of the Church tends Il
Il ...oI-o tho ,oanY,Ia raaliza the hirkl